


Reunion

by J_Flattermann



Series: Bridges [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Flattermann/pseuds/J_Flattermann





	Reunion

"Reunion - Part 1"  
Pairing: Dennyson/Quinlan  
Genre: Slash implied  
Rating: PG

 

It was a typical winter day in London, rainy, foggy and cold. So cold that one could feel it crawling up the bones when exposed to the weather for too long.

I had been working at the London office of the media company I had been with since that day way back when I had crossed that bridge back when.  
I rather not think about … Sad memories.

I was standing at the Tower Bridge waiting for the bascules to come back down. The bridge had been opened to let a the Thames Sailing Barge Will back into the Upper London Pool. A spectacle that reminded me that it was that time of year for corporate events of this kind.  
Whilst I was standing there to see the barge passing through Tower Bridge and musing on upcoming Christmas parties, my mind wound its way back to the last office party Denny and I had been.

It was the party he dropped the bomb shell.

Despite being surrounded by people I shook my head to shake the thought away. Nobody took any notice. Their eyes were all on the barge that now cleared the bridge and the bascules slowly made their way back to horizontal level.

A minute later and the bridge was back open for traffic.

I just adjusted the collar of my coat when I thought that I spied a familiar looking shape coming towards me from the opposite end of the bridge.  
No - this couldn’t …  
But it did look like Denny …  
Impossible …

Denny was miles away in sunny California. For many years now actually. This person there couldn’t, could it?

Somehow the feeling wouldn’t shake. I began to wonder what to do if this really was Denny.  
Walk past as not recognising him? Say something? Leave it to him to make a start?  
I then realised that I had slowed down. Not walking at my usual pace, still the person walked steady towards me and then …

…past me on the other side of the road.  
And yes …

As impossible as it seemed …

…this was Dennyson.

 

He walked past not even looked and just walked on.

 

And there was me.

A minute ago I still had pondered what to do when coming face to face and now there was this strange feeling of …

…what was it actually?

…Disappointment? Relief? Anger?  
I couldn’t say and suddenly I was feeling all hollow inside.

Why hadn’t I acted? It would have been so easy to shout, wave, do …. whatever …. something.

I carried on walking at a snails pace it seemed and still before I could say “Jack Robinson” I was at the other end of the bridge.

 

It was there that I stopped.  
A man hollered some insults at me as he hadn’t foreseen my abrupt coming to a standstill and therefore bumped into me.  
Instinctively I muttered an apology.

There I stood with my back turned to the bridge immovable. I couldn’t turn, couldn’t carry on.  
I was literally petrified.

I lost complete track of time and couldn’t say for how long I had been just standing there.  
His voice coming from behind me made me jump instantaneously.

“Quin? Quin, is that you?”

I finally managed to move again and turned, just to find myself in a tight embrace that almost squeezed all the air out of my lungs.  
“Man, it’s so good to see you.” I heard Denny say. “Gosh, what a coincidence. I was just on my way to the London office to find out where you live.”

I stood rather dumbstruck at first and then a deep set anger surfaced.

“OH! YEAH? Were you? - Just remind me, after how many years, after you ran out on me?”

I should have hated me but at the spur of the moment all I could do was pouring out my disappointment and frustration at him.  
He, who had left me for a job opportunity at the West Coast. He, who had told me last minute. Who had his bags already shipped to the airport whilst pretending this was just another normal day at the office.

His arms dropped and so did his face.

“I know. I’m sorry.” He said.

“I’m sorry isn’t doing it this time, Denny.” I told him very much determined to stay stern this time.  
“PLEASE, Quin, at least let me explain.” He said making his damn puppy eyes.

It was hard to convince myself that it wasn’t his puppy dog eyes but my curiosity to hear what kind of story he would dish out. Also my stomach was empty and I hadn’t prepared for tea at home. Facing the bridge southward I knew that the road leading past the left tower of the bridge would lead to Kathrine’s Dock as this was my usual way home. There at the marina was the old Inn.

Whilst my brain was racing I looked at him and noticed that he was frozen stiff. Totally not prepared for the London winter.

“Ok. Let’s go out of this chill. I know where we can have something to eat as well. I’m hungry.”

I led him away until we reach the black timber building that made for the “Dickens Inn”.

As usual this time of day the Inn was busy but the waiter managed to get us a table upstairs. With luck as a pair of tourist just made ready to leave we got their table by the windows looking out onto the balcony and over the marina.

Normally the Inn, being a place for tourist, wasn’t my range of budget, but with Denny who I believed had a bigger salary than I, I was determined to let him take care of the bill.

On the first floor is the Dickens Inn’s Grill and the prices are despite being in London rather moderate. Still, somehow it occurred to me that if Denny and I had a fall out I might be ending up with the bill and therefore I decided to go easy with the spending.  
Consulting the menu I went for the traditional Fish and Chips finding that Denny followed my lead.

Whilst we were inside tucking into our dishes the weather turned even colder and the rain into snow.  
Sitting there with him opposite, eating, reminded me of the happier days when we shared time together. A time that had lasted until four years ago when Denny suddenly made the move to the West Coast to our Sacramento outlet. Of course the offer had been a good one, becoming MD to the California office. He even made the internal news after arrival, for being announced the group’s youngest MD.

What angered me still was that during all the time of negotiations and preparations it hadn’t occurred to him once to tell me. Why? To surprise me? What a shitty surprise that was. And he had chosen the Christmas Party at the office to pop the balloon.

Meal finished we sat with our pints before us.  
“So? Explain!” I challenged him.

“I don’t know where to start.” He confessed a little sheepishly.  
“Why not begin with the start? Or better, tell my why I wasn’t worthy of being involved into your plan making.” I knew I sounded harsh but I still felt wounded at the proportion of mistrust shown towards me.

“I thought you knew.” He said in a tiny voice.  
“OH COME ON DON’T GIVE ME THIS BS!” I hollered.  
Only too late noticing that people at the tables nearby could hear and therefore heads turned and people staring at us.  
Only this time I couldn’t care less.  
His reply came in a hushed tone.  
“I was too scared to tell you.” He said. “I was scared to loose you. I thought if I go and prepare the ground for us, you then would be able to come after me.”  
He shook his head.  
“It wasn’t easy. It was rather tough actually. There at the beginning. There is so much competition. They didn’t bowled themselves over at having me, you know.”  
“What a bag of rubbish.” I said. “They were stumbling over their feet to welcome you. ‘Youngest ever - this award, youngest ever - that award’. The corporate share point was full of this shit.”

He looked wounded and lowered his eyes to the table. His hand turning his glass of beer.  
“What does intrigue me, Denny, is that now after four goddamn years, you are coming searching for me. Why? Who is the one who has bullshitted you this time, huh? Who is it?”  
Silence.  
“Don’t tell me that you are loosing your job. I know that this isn’t the case. I can read, you know. SO, what is it? Lost your flat to your latest conquest? I remember we had that before.”

I saw him swallow hard and then he shook his head. A tear fell, flung out of his eyes as he moved his head.  
“There is none. Not ever. Not since …” His voice choked and he fell silent.  
“Dammit, Denny!” - “Damn you, for doing this to me again.” I said. However my voice had gone softer.  
“I missed you so much, Quin. But after you reacted so … so violently against moving to California … I … I thought … thought that there was no chance. You know …”

Of course I knew.  
The year before his move we somehow had grown apart. Each of us going their own ways. We hardly spoke, not even during the rare times that we were together.  
Even then it never had occurred to me to break up our relationship. I always thought we were just going through one of those phases. Other couples seemed to have them and pulled through. So why not we?

Thinking of this reminded me that in a way I had always been the more passive partner and all initiative had come from Denny. Maybe that was what went wrong?

I suddenly realised that he had fallen quiet. I had been so deep in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed that he had stopped talking.

“I’m sorry. I was, well, I was going through my memories. I figure that I reacted harsh. In all honesty, Denny, how would you have reacted if the dice had been exchanged and it had been me to make all these arrangements behind your back?”

He remained quiet for a moment.

“I know, I messed up big time. Maybe I deserved that. I never had to really work hard for something. I just took everything for granted. Usually things went my way, so why making an effort. I see now that I had taken you for granted too. That was wrong of me.”

Together we went through situations. I confessing that there had been times when I should have spoken out but instead I had remained silent and he had taken my silence for consent.  
He accepted that he had been to overpowering and ignorant of my wishes.  
The sum of all was that my passiveness and his dominance had been our downfall.

“I never could really say what you wanted, Quin. You never said a word. You always just accepted the arrangements I made. It came as a shock to me, when you suddenly raised your voice and declined to come to California with me. I thought that like always you would just fall in behind. I was wrong and I’m sorry for that. I should have discussed the move with you. It was just too important a step and I went one step too far by assuming you were all right with my arrangements.”

We had be so deep into our conversation that we had forgotten all about time. So we suddenly were faced by one of the waiters who informed us that they were about to close and if we please could pay our bill.  
With shock I realised how late it was and that the Inn was empty apart from members of the staff and ourselves.  
I had forgotten that I had planned to let him pay and fumbled in my pocket for my credit card. However, Denny was faster and told me he would take the bill.

The waiter disappeared and I remembered that I hadn’t seen any baggage on Denny.  
“Where are you staying? Have you a hotel?”  
He shook his head.  
“I left my baggage in a locker at the airport. Wasn’t sure if I would find you … didn’t think of getting a room either.”  
“Good god! I don’t think that you will find something as late as it is.”  
Looking at his outfit, not properly fitting to the temperatures, I suggested that he should come and stay over where I lived.  
“My room mate is not in, you can have her room. But I’m afraid that will work just for tonight.”  
“That’s just fine. I can sleep on the sofa or if need be on the floor. I’m just glad that I don’t have to stay out in the cold.”

My apartment wasn’t too far from the Dickens Inn as I lived in shared accommodation with a colleague.  
So I suggested we just hurried over.  
“Let’s hurry, It will keep you warm and I have to leave early tomorrow. Time to call it, actually.”  
We hurried across several squares and through some subterranean crossings and finally reach a large refurbished warehouse which had been made into several modern flats.

He was all blue and shivering when we finally reached the front door. I quickly unlocked and we hurried into the elevator.  
The flat was quite spacious and he looked around admiring the modern interior.  
“Not bad, but you are still sharing?”  
“Welcome to London, buddy. The prices here are steep. I’m glad that I can afford to pay half of this. Others are worse off. Either they have to make the long journey by train or they live with more than one room mate.”

He stood in the middle of the room undecided and shaking with cold.  
“Gosh, you’re frozen stiff. Come on I run you a bath.” I walked ahead showing him kitchen, the bed room he could stay for the night and finally the bath were I opened the tabs for him.  
“I get you a robe and then I’ll turn in. You are welcome to help yourself with the fridge or anything.”

I left him to return in a minute throwing him a bath robe.  
“I have put one of my jammies out for you. It might be bit short in the legs and sleeves, but you should be all right for one night.”

His ‘thank you’ came muffled by the noise of the running water.  
“Good night, Denny.” I shouted and left him.

I went to my bed room and for a split second wondered if I should lock the door. Honestly, I never had in Denny’s presence during our time. One reason why we finally got together.  
For one night he simply showed up and crawled under with me cuddling.

Lorraine and I, we were just colleagues and at best we didn’t even shut the bed room doors at night.  
I knew that Lorraine had a crush on one of the girls in accounting, even though I never could figure out which. On the other hand she knew that my taste was not in women in general. This made us the perfect team, especially as we both earned about the same amount of money and therefore splitting 50:50 was without hassle.

In Denny’s case this had been different. Even though I never asked more of him than is half, it meant that he had more money left to spent as he was decisively better off than I.

I undressed, crawled into my chill bed and killed the light.  
For some time I heard the water splashing and finally running through the sink making gurgling noises. Then the bath room door went and I heard Denny’s steps as he crossed the open plan kitchen/lounge towards Lorraine’s bedroom.

This night I had shut my door and I heard him closing the door to the bedroom too.  
It felt strange, like at the beginning of our friendship.


End file.
